Coast Guard change-of-command ceremony to take place Friday

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul F. Zukunft will be relieved by the Atlantic Area commander, Vice Adm. Karl L. Schultz, during a change-of-command ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday.

The ceremony will take place at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Mike Smith, executive director of the Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven, describes Schultz as a “friend of Grand Haven and West Michigan” who was a special guest at the 2017 festival in his previous position as the commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Atlantic Area.

A group from the Tri-Cities will be attending the ceremony. Joining Smith will be Grand Haven Mayor Geri McCaleb; Joy Gaasch, president of the Grand Haven-Spring Lake-Ferrysburg Chamber of Commerce; Spring Lake Village Manager Christine Burns; Ferrysburg Mayor Rebecca Hopp; Grand Haven Township Supervisor Mark Reenders; Diane Sheridan, executive director of the Grand Haven Main Street Downtown Authority; and several others.

Grand Haven Tribune managing editor Matt DeYoung will also be in attendance. He’ll be sharing photos and videos from the ceremony on his social media accounts. To follow along, “like” his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter, @ghtribdeyoung.